Great Email Subject Lines for Increased Open Rates

Author: Carolyn Menz Category: B2B, B2C, E-commerce & Retail, Marketing, Nonprofit, Social Media & Digital Date: August 28, 2015

Being creative and interesting is not about being unique but rather communicating something that connects to your customer, clients, or colleagues on a personal level.

Everyday we all get bombed with newsletter and press release overload, and quite frankly sometimes we just wanted to select “delete all” and be done with it.

But then sometimes…we have a moment, a beautiful email moment when the email’s subject line catches our attention and draws us in. So we begin to read…and instantly we connect with the brand/company that had sent us that email. And then we think to ourselves, “why can’t we have newsletters and emails that are clever and fun like this one?” Well, now we can.

Top 5 email subject lines to increase your email open rates:

1. “REASON WHY…”

By utilizing the “why” factor, readers become inclined to think  “why” they should do something while also offering the readers a number of “reasons” (facts) the support the “why.”

2. “BENEFIT”

Readers will relate to positive words over negative words. Utilize the benefits of a product/service over the features of a product/service. The “benefit” style subject lines typically include an implied promise. For example… “Lose Weight While You Sleep” – This subject line contains an implied promise which is a benefit to the readers without mentioning the features that will get you to lose weight while you sleep…meaning that dreadful word “diet.”

3. “QUESTION?”

The question subject line receives a high open right due to a reader’s natural tendency to read a question and automatically pause and respond. In many cases, the reader already thinks they know the answer to your posed question, and your headline is simply feeding their need for confirmation and affirmation.

4. “HOW-TO”

How-To subject lines are well received because it is an understood promise to the reader that in your article you will reveal “how-to” achieve the benefit.

5. “TARGETED”

By segmenting your target audience into different categories and creating emails specifically to those various groups, open rates will increase due to the personal connection you are creating with each group. People want to read about themselves. Some examples of targeted email subject lines are…

“Attention Bostonians Who Need to Lose Weight”
“Confidential to Crossfit Warriors”
“For Investors Who Hate Paying Commissions”

For more information and catchy email subject lines, click here.